pulling wire under a sidewalk
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: southern Illinois
pulling wire under a sidewalk
It looks like my next project is putting in some landscape lighting. I'll need to run the landscape wire(probably go with 12 gauge) under the sidewalk leading to the front door. What is the easiest/best way to pull it under?
Thanks,
Karl
Thanks,
Karl
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: Billings, MT
One way to do it that is pretty easy, is to take a garden hose, turn the water on and slowly push it into the ground. You'll basically just feed it right under the sidewalk and be left with a hose-size hole to feed your wire through. 
Good luck!
Good luck!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Dig a hole on either side of the sidewalk and then pound a peice of conduit through. Pull the conduit back out and replace it with a new peice. Now if you ever have to redo the wire all you have to do is open up the hole and pull new wire through.
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 500
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From: laurel springs NJ
Make the conduit slightly longer than needed. Beat the end flat with a hammer. Beat the conduit through the dirt to the other side (hole). Cut off flattened part of conduit. Use the same piece of conduit!
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 772
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From: White Sands, NM
The water hose method worked great for my neighbor. Just do it deep enough that you don't undermine the sidewalk. Otherwise, you could get cracks in the cement.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,769
Likes: 7
From: Gretna ,LA.
Dont use steel conduit, instead dig a large hole on each side of the sidewalk.Go buy a brass one piece nozzle [sorta looks like a small fire hose nozzle, its just a necked down pc of brass] get a pvc adapter to attach to a lenght of pvc pipe [1"diameter], hook your garden hose to the other end of pvc with a hose adapter.Simply wash the pipe under the sidewalk, when it protrudes enough, cut off both ends, blow any water out.You now have a pc of pipe under the slab.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
You could rent a Ditch Witch and just auger a hole under the ground and slid the proper pipe in there. They rent them at some Home Depots. Make sure you comply with the local codes for this. I know some of the machines automatically feed the wire through the hole at the same time, though this is probably only for the commercial versions.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,557
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From: Texas
Don't feed your kid for a week, then lay him on the right side of the sidewalk.
Walk over to the left side, hold up a hotdog with relish, mustard and kraut and tell him to start digging. While he's digging, eat the hot dog and tell him he did a good job!
JK, All of the above steps will work well but the water method gets messy and you have to dig quite a large hole on both sides that will contain water.
Walk over to the left side, hold up a hotdog with relish, mustard and kraut and tell him to start digging. While he's digging, eat the hot dog and tell him he did a good job!
JK, All of the above steps will work well but the water method gets messy and you have to dig quite a large hole on both sides that will contain water.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,798
Likes: 0
From: Wichita KS.
Okay, let me inform everyone here of the proper way to do this. This first thing is to be prepared. You will need a concrete cutter, and a bobcat. No other tools are required. Cut the sidewalk at the seams so that when you put it back, no one will notice. Use the bob cat to lift the concrete and have a buddy hold it upright for you (this will cost no less than a case of beer, or a 6 pack of canadian beer). Then carefully, lay the wire where you want it. Make sure your drunk buddy doesn't drop the concrete on your head. Your last step is to replace the concrete where you found it. Wa laa. Wire under sidewalk.
Last edited by Bargod; Jun 4, 2004 at 05:24 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,750
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From: Lenexa, KS
I've done this a couple of times with very low voltage sprinkler wire and also with Malibu light wire. The only problem with the water method is you can encounter lots of small rock (chat) that is sometimes spread under sidewalks and driveways that will create problems for the water method. I never thought of using conduit, but I think it's a great idea, especially if you have to replace that wire later. I dug a small hole on each side of the sidewalk and cut a short piece of re-bar and pounded it until it appeared on the other side of the sidewalk. After working it back and forth a little from each side of the sidewalk to loosen it a bit, I attached my wire to it and pulled it back through the hole until I had my wire pulled under the sidewalk. In some cases, I think you can push the re-bar under the sidewalk without tools if you work it a little and keep it just under the concrete. Anyway, I like the conduit method because if you have to go back again, all the work is already done. 
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 42,683
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From: Fraziers Bottom, WV
Like some have said, dig a large hole about a foot deep on one side and a small hole on the other side the same depth. get your drill out and a 1/2 inch wood bit and bir extension. Have a hole in a minute.
You can drill down at an angle on one side and then other and hope to meet in the middle. Then pass the wire!
You can drill down at an angle on one side and then other and hope to meet in the middle. Then pass the wire!